Automatic locking device for wall-bed footpieces



May 8, 1923.

N. SINCLAIR AUTOMATIC LOCKING DEVICE FOR WALL BED FOOTPIECES Filed April29 1922 IIVVE/VTU/P N. SM/IL/VR k A 7 7 S v Patented May 8, 1923.

NEIL SINCLAIR, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO RIP VAN WIN'KLE WALLBED 00., OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC LOOKING DEVICE FOR WALL-BED FOOTPIECES.

Application filed April 29,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NEIL SINCLAIR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented new and useful Improvements in- Automatic Locking Devicesfor Wall-Bed Footpieces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wall and other types of bedswherein the foot pieces or legs are adapted to be folded with relationto the bed frames when the bed frames are disposed in out-of-the-wayposition, and has particular reference to an automatic locking devicewhich when the bed is extended for use will automatically lock the footpiece or legs in proper supporting position and when the bed is moved soas to be folded or in such manner that the bed is tilted and the weightof the bed is taken off the legs, said locking means will automaticallyrelease and permit the foot piece or legs to swing by force of gravity,into folded position.

The primary object of the invention is to provide simply constructed,inexpensive,

compactly arranged mechanism which willv be comparatively inconspicuousand which will operate in a reliable manner to automatically lock thelegs when the bed is moved into position for use and release the legs sothat they will automatically swing into outof-the-way position when thebed is folded whereby in the latter case, injury to the bed, floor andwalls is prevented.

The invention possesses other advantages and features some of which,with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the followingdescription where I shall outline in full that form of the inventionwhich I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying andforming a part of the present specification. In said drawings I haveshown one form of the construction of my invention, but it is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to such form since the inventionas expressed in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary perspective view of a wall bed showingthe looking device of my invention as it would appear when looking thefoot piece or legs.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken thru the foot piece, certain parts ofwhich being re 1922. Serial No. 557,365.

moved, particularly illustrating the locking mechanism of my inventionas when in looking position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is asectional View partly in elevation of a. bed foot piece andthe locking mechanism showing thelatter as when released, when the bedhas been partly lifted.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the foot piece in foldedor out-ofthe-way position as assumed when the bed is likewise disposedin out-of-the-way position.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, 1 designates a bed frame (only part of which isshown), having fixed to its outer end a foot rail 2 to which is attacheda cross bar 3, to which latter sup-- porting legs 4 and 5 are pivoted orhinged. The legs 4: and 5 have sleeves 6 on their upper ends, whichsleeves are loosely mounted on the bar 3. A cross rod 7 is secured toand joins the legs 4 and 5.

The mechanism of my invention comprises essentially a link 8 having oneend pivoted as at 9 to'theleg 4E. and other elements hereinafterdescribed. The link 8 is provided with a longitudinal slot 10 throughwhich slot a headed screw or pin 11 extends and is fixed to a collar 12made fast upon one of the side rails 13 of the bed frame 1. The link 8is provided with a notch 14 disposed adjacent to one end of the slot 10,which notch is adapted to receive the screw or pin 11 when the legs 4and 5 are in supporting position whereby the said leg will be locked insuch position.

The means for automatically releasing the legs or in other words liftingthe link 8 so that the notch 14 is clear of the screw 11. comprises inpart a pendulum member 15 pivoted at its upper end as at 16 to an att-achment .17 carried on he front angle piece 100 18 of the bed frame. Thelower end of the pendulum 15 carries a. weight 19 wherehv .when the bedis in, position for use. said pendulum member will hang vertically asshown in Fig. 2. and when the bed is lifted from the horizontal as inmoving it to an out-of-the-way osition. said pendulum will swingrearwardly as shown in Fig. 4. Adjace-nt to its upper end the pendulumcarries a projection 20 which is adapted to engage no a lever 21, whichlever is pivoted on the screw 11 and is provided on one side of itspivot point with a lug or projection engaging in the slot 10.

Vhen a bed equipped with a device of my invention is moved into positionfor use, the legs 4 and 5 or better the foot piece, will swing intoupright supporting position and the screw or pin 11 will engage in thenotch 1a whereupon the foot piece will be locked. lVhen the bed islifted as in moving the same to out-of-the-way position, the pendulum 15will swing so as to cause the projection 20 to engage with and rock thelever 2L whereupon the pin or lug 22 will be moved arcuately andupwardly against the upper edge of the slot 10 and will lift the link 8until the notch 1% is disengaged from the screw 11 and the link is freeto slide. The weight of the legs or foot piece will cause them to swing,as shown in Fig. 4. As the bed is moved into upright position, the legswill swing so as to lie close to the under side of the bed frame asshown in Fig. 5. The weight member 19 may be provided with a rubberbumper ring 23 to prevent the weight from striking and scratching theadjacent parts of the bed and foot piece and eliminate noise.

In wall beds of the type which swing into upright position and then turnon pivots so as to extend into wall recesses or closets, unless the legsor foot pieces are folded in, said legs or foot pieces will, in someinstances, strike the edges of the opening in the closet or recess andeither damage the legs or mar the wood work of the closet. It frequentlyhappens that the person folding the bed will forget to move the legsinto out-of-t-l1eway position. With the device of my invention themovement of the foot piece or legs into folded and out-of-thewayposition takes place automatically coineident with the lifting andswinging of the connected with the foot piece, an element on the bedframe with which said member slidably engages, said pivoted memberhaving a notch therein arranged to receive the element and lock themember and foot piece against movement when the bed is in position ofuse, a lever pivotally connected with the bed frame and having a portionto one side of its pivot engaged with and arranged to move said pivotedmember out of locking position upon rocking of the lever and aswingingmember acting to rock said lever when the bed is moved out of positionof use.

2. In combination with a bed adapted to be moved into and out ofposition for use, of a foot piece mounted on said bed to automaticallyswing into bed supporting and out of the way positions, a member pivotedto the foot piece having sliding connection with said bed, a memberfixed to the bed and into and out of locking engagement with which saidpivoted member, is moved, a le-' ver having pivot connections with thebed arranged to move said pivoted member out of locking engagement withsaid locking member and a swinging member acting to engage and rock saidlever when the bed is moved out of position of use.

NEIL SINCLAIR.

